Most people can only dream of the honor of being invited to the annual White House ?Correspondents’ dinner.
But this year, Saturday Night Live star Cecily Strong made that dream a reality.
Strong was noted as the fifth woman to host the dinner and gave a risqué speech that left the audience ?in awe.
“Feels right to have a woman follow President Obama, doesn’t it?” is the statement Strong chose to open her speech with, but that was only the beginning of a long span of ?racy discussion.
From making fun of the vice president to addressing the stereotypes of each of the news outlets that were represented at the dinner, Strong did not hold back from addressing any issue ?or individual.
She even made a point to address some “taboo” topics that made the ?audience gasp.
“I promise, since I’m only a comedian, I’m not going to tell you politicians how to do politics or whatever,” Strong said. “That’d be like you guys telling me what to do with my body. Can you even imagine?”
Strong’s sarcastic tone and witty commentary got the audience hooked as ?she continued.
With the excessive amounts of police brutality in the world today, it’s no surprise Strong made it ?another talking point.
“Let’s give it up for the Secret Service,” Strong said. “They’re the only law enforcement agency in the country that will get in trouble if a black man gets shot.”
Strong eventually addressed President Obama and thanked him “for taking time away from Jimmy Kimmel to be here,” which even made the president ?himself chuckle.
My favorite part of the address, though, has to be when Strong was talking about the candidates who had just announced their presidential campaigns.
She asked all the media correspondents in the room to raise their right hand and repeat an oath for the election season: “I solemnly swear not to talk about Hillary (Clinton)’s appearance, because that is not journalism.”
Although Strong might have made some people feeling uncomfortable, the speech was backed by nothing but truth and ?good intentions.
The media was buzzing when Clinton announced her presidential candidacy, mostly because she is the first woman trying to be the leader of the free world.
With any woman in mainstream popular culture, it’s more common to have them featured on a segment like “Fashion Police” instead of in primetime news networking.
Unless we’re about to start debating Marco Rubio’s suit choices and lack of appealing tie colors, Clinton should be treated just like any male candidate running for office.
Strong’s addressing of this issue was one that needed to be made and got the point across respectfully and lightheartedly.
Overall, I believe Strong’s White House Correspondents’ dinner speech was right on the money.
She said what many Americans have been thinking, and she addressed hard issues with humor ?and grace.
It takes a lot of courage to stand before the most powerful individuals in the United States and several hundred of their closest friends and speak — and joke — about issues that have been strongly debated for months.
Strong’s full-length speech can be found and glorified on YouTube.
snvanden@indiana.edu
